Welcome to the Interfaith Initiative

Houseless in 2018
The Power of Interfaith
Compassion and Advocacy

While our faith traditions encourage us to show compassion for those in need, this is not enough. We must also work to eliminate the cause of their suffering.

On Saturday, May 12, at Trinity Episcopal Church, the Interfaith Initiative of SB County (IFI) and Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) sponsored a dinner and an exploration of how two local, faith-based initiatives combine compassion and advocacy to address the needs of our houseless neighbors.

In this program, we learned how Showers of Blessings, a mobile shower ministry, provides comfort and proper hygiene while identifying the needs of those living on our streets.

We also learned about the exciting advocacy effort by CLUE to eliminate one of the conditions which perpetuates homelessness for those struggling with histories of mental illness and incarceration. Below is a video on the Showers of Blessing.

The Interfaith Initiative of Santa Barbara

Interfaith Initiative of Santa Barbara County (IFISBC) is concerned for the welfare of Santa Barbara County’s human and ecological habitats and their associated safety net challenges.

Our primary projects are:

Showers of Blessing
Providing showers for our neighbors without homes in partnership with religious institutions and social service agencies;

Educational ProgramsHosting educational programs, including annual dinners, that inspire individuals and faith communities to work together on pressing issues of social justice and the environment;

Partnerships for Compassionate Community Action
Igniting community-wide transformation by working with diverse organizations, leaders and individuals to model compassionate action for the wellbeing of all.

IFISBC addresses the interconnectedness of healthy living spaces for people – providing showers for the homeless – and our human responsibility to protect the health of our living planet.

Our core values of compassion and cooperation rally a wide array of stakeholders around creative and viable visions regarding our region’s environmental sustainability and sheltering solutions. Houses of worship and faith-based institutions form strong networks and provide perennial values and ready-made volunteers to galvanize community service projects with a level of trust that enables individuals, including those that are “spiritually independent,” to act together to pursue common objectives.